"Come on Arcturus!" [Cipher]
He comes bounding out of the woods. He sprints toward me and gives me a full body lick. Must have been missing me. I walk toward the last ship I finished loading and told him to lay down. I made a curve with the boxes so he had a shelter for his back. I summoned another bed and put it down. I grabbed out some of my old nails and nailed down the feet of the bed so it wouldn't slide.
"Tap me if you need anything. I won't wake up for a while." [Cipher]
I pull back the covers and lay down. I don't actually need the sleep but it can't hurt and it's important to keep up appearances. I can't be 80 levels below the soldiers and not need any sleep.
[Soldier POV]
Finally! That good-for-nothing level 27 is asleep! No matter how good your items may be, there is no substitute for a level difference of over 50! High strength is worthless when you can't use it! I'll kill him! He just lazes around with great items and only helps when it's not needed! He must be a noble that lied about the time he spent here in the Hallowed Forest. I'm sneaking around the crates now. I slowly pull out my dagger, to not make any noise. I softly walk toward his bed. I swing. What? The dagger bounced off his neck! There's only a small cut on the side that's started to bleed. I fall backwards in horror. The dog opens his eyes and sees me.
"Uh, good doggie?" [Soldier]
He barks loudly and jumps toward me.
[Cipher POV]
I woke up to Arcturus jumping at a soldier and ripping his legs off. The blood sprays everywhere giving Arcturus a image of a hellhound.
“Arcturus stop! Stop!” [Cipher]
He looks ashamed and spits out a leg.
Farlon runs in.
“What’s going on here! Cipher I better have an explanation for this!” [Farlon]
“It seems like he tried to kill me, Arcturus heard him and attacked.” [Cipher]
“What do you mean tried to kill you?” [Farlon]
I tilt my neck so he can see the shallow cut and then hold up the soldier’s arm that’s holding the dagger.
“Fine, fine, it was in self defense. But next time this happens, you leave the ship! OK?” [Farlon]
“Sure.” [Cipher]
He storms off muttering about all the paperwork he’ll have to do when we land. I look around at everyone then lay back down in bed.
“Arcturus, lay down again.”
One week later…
[Cipher POV]
Nothing happened over the past week, no attempts on my life, no attacks on the ship. Overall, pretty good. Arcturus has been getting thinner so I made a cooked steak preset. He was happy with that. I got a new spell called Miniaturize. What Miniaturize does is actually quite simple. It shrinks the target for an hour if you don’t more anymore mana in. Bigger the target, the bigger the amount of mana needed for the hour. I can shrink Arcturus to the size of a regular dog. So, I can still go into cities and not crush anyone under his paws of death! Probably for the better.
“Land ho!” [Soldier]
“Fantastic! Should be only a few more hours then!” [Farlon]
I desummon the bed and pick up the nails that clink to the floor. I walk around the ship a bit and then fly over to the ship next to us. I land softly to not attract attention.
I talk a bit then fly back. I should probably know these people. Might never see them again, but I have nothing else to do. Oh, wait! I can detail my sheath! Should be fun. I lay down and close my eyes.
“Open LDM”
My sword materializes on a pedestal. I pick it up and summon a metal spike. I heat it over a fire and then start the detailing. I’m no expert, I just have an assisting skill and great tools. Might be doing this wrong, but screw it! I’ll do what I want! I start a head of a dragon near where the crossguard would be if it’s sheathed. I finish it off in half an hour and then start the flames coming out of the mouth. I also add some leather caps on the bottom to make sure it doesn’t come undone. After I finish, I summon up some ice and inlay it in the new grooves. I add the tags permanent, unbreakable and soulbound to the sheath as well as the back harness. I have a idea and exit LDM and summon both the skill book and tools for Tailoring. As expected, I get a notice telling me I now have access to the TDM, or Tailor Design Mode. I open that up and find a nice set of formal wear and a few different sets of clothes for adventuring. Wait a second. Where did I get the leather for the caps? Maybe the LDM can use the RCLS for materials. So I can make the clothes now. Great! I exit the TDM to see my sword laying next to me and my clothes draped over my hands. I open the RCLS, summon a traveling bag and close the RCLS. I pack my new clothes in carefully and strap my sword on my back. I run around a bit to get used to it. Man, I have so many things right now to keep track of. Arcturus, the whole system thing, the RCLS, TDM, LDM and now even appearances to the entire crew. I ask Farlon for the estimated time of arrival and he just laughs and points behind me. I turn in confusion and see the pier not fifty feet away.
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“Here, Cipher. Use this if you ever need help. He hands me a token and I put it in my inventory. I fly over and set down lightly.
“Hope to see you around Farlon” [Cipher]
He gasps as he tries to comprehend that fact that I just flew. I start walking to the castle in the distance. Then realize I can, in fact, fly. I hover over the ground as I speed up to the speed of sound. At this speed, I reach the castle in a few seconds. I slow down and throw up.
“Oh god… Never doing that again just to save time.” [Cipher]
I stumble a bit as I regain my balance. I straighten up and equip my set of formal clothes. I activate one of my passive skills, Grace. Really just makes me walk better. I walk up to tone the guards and ask him if I can enter.
“No outsiders allowed, no matter how good they look. If you were legitimate, you would have a letter of acceptance and the king would already be here waiting.” [Royal Guard]
“Really? Good structure here, but please can I enter? I don’t want to hurt you.” [Cipher]
“Hurt me? Me? Boy I don’t think you know what levels are. You’re level 27, and I’m level 200. Think!” [Royal Guard]
“Well, you didn’t let me through, so sorry in advance.” [Cipher]
I wave my hand and ice spikes appear around his neck, arms, legs, and torso.
“I’ll be off then.” [Cipher]
I start hovering and fly through the arch and blow a hole in the doors for me to enter the room, since I doubt the guards below would let me through. After I make it past I desummon the ice spikes.
“Who are you?” [King]
He draws his sword and points it at me.
“Well, two can play at that game!” [Cipher]
I pull my sword out of my sheath slowly, and then point it at the ground.
“I did not come here to fight, merely to learn about this continent. If you would put away your sword oh knight, I would be happy to converse.” [Cipher]
He hesitates and then drops the sword.
“What was your name again? I can’t seem to remember.” [King]
“I never said it, but as the guest I’ll introduce myself first. My name is Cipher.” [Cipher]
“Aeon. What item did you use to break the doors? They were tested to resist level 400’s for an hour and you’re only level 27.” [King Aeon]
“I didn’t use a item. No door has ever met me and lived. Except if it was my door. Anyways, do you know who Farlon is? He told me to use this if I ever needed help.” [Cipher]
I pull out the token and show him.
“That… that’s his token! He’s only ever given them out to his apprentices and now you show up holding one not even knowing what it means? Who are you?” [King Aeon]
“Cipher” [Cipher]
[King Aeon’s POV]
I try to put on a comfortable face, but behind the mask, I’m sweating. This level 27 broke through level 400 doors in a second, flew in, and then pulls out my old master’s token just like that! Ok Aeon, breathe. Here we go.
“So, do you need anything? You don’t need to pay for the doors, if that’s a worry to you.” [King Aeon]
“No, I broke it, so it’s only fair that pay for it.” [Cipher]
“Really? The price for each door is 30,000 gold each, so 60,000 in total.” [King Aeon]
“Oh, that’s it? Here you go then.” [Cipher]
He tosses me a full bag and when I catch it I fall down from the sheer weight. I open the mouth of the bag and see exactly 60,000 gold. This man is not to be messed with. He just threw me enough to buy a mansion and more just like that. Even I‘m not that rich.
“Sooo, can I have a smallish home for a month or two, after that I’m going to explore the rest of the world.” [Cipher]
“Sure! We have one just down the road you walked down!” [King Aeon]
“No, not that mansion. I want a smallish, two floor house with a basement, in the more poor part of the city.” [Cipher]
“What! You want that?!?!? Ok, fine. Come by tomorrow and I’ll show you the property.” [King Aeon]
“Great, see you later.” [Cipher]
He flies out the hole and toward the nearby lake. Ok. Let’s take stock of things. I’m alive, which is good. He asked for a cheap property, only 50 gold at the most. He paid for the doors. My wife, Natalie, comes out of the hallway to my left and lets out a small scream.
“Aeon, you better explain the hole at the top of the doors!” [Queen Natalie]
“A level 27 broke through in half a second, paid 60,000 gold for the doors, then asked for the most simple house in the commoner area.” [King Aeon]
“What? Is that even possible? Is it a woman? Can I kill them?” [Queen Natalie]
“I know, yes, it is, no he’s male and no you can’t kill him. He has my old master’s token. We don’t mess with him, he doesn’t mess with us. Simple as that.” [King Aeon]
I walk back to my room, wondering if Cipher is looking to get an apprentice. I know my daughter is a mage. He’s one too. Now, let’s find that house.
[Cipher POV]
It’s been exactly a day after he said he would find me a house. I fly over and this time land in front of the doors. I pull out the token and the two guards get noticeably shocked and then pull open the doors.
“Ah, the mysterious Cipher. I’m pretty sure you’re here for the house.” [King Aeon]
“Mysterious? No, I only arrived here a day and a half ago. And yes, I am here for the house. Shall we head off?” [Cipher]
“Give me a second. Don’t take this the wrong way, but will you take my daughter as your apprentice? She is quite good with 400 intelligence and 200 wisdom. She has the rest of the stats up to 50 so she is quite the fighter. She’s leaning more to the battlemage side and you seem perfect for the job.” [King Aeon]
“Sure, I can get to know her on the walk to the house. An apprentice always sounded cool.” [Cipher]
“Walk?” [King Aeon]
“Can either of you fly? Thought not.” [Cipher]
“Come out of your room and meet your new master Lyra!” [King Aeon]
A girl slowly trudges out of the hallway and looks up at me.
“How much is he paying you?” [Princess Lyra]
“Nothing. Just thought having an apprentice for a while would be fun.” [Cipher]
“Really? Is he lying daddy? [Princess Lyra]
“No, my sweet. He broke through the doors and showed me Farlon’s token. He paid for the doors, so it’s all good” [King Aeon]
“Him? Not to be mean or anything, but isn’t he a little skinny for a level 500?” [Princess Lyra]
“Why does everyone think I’m level 500? I’m only level 30, sorry for the disappointment.” [Cipher]
She starts laughing so hard she’s crying.
“Sure you are! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Wait a second. No way. You are only level 30….. Daddy are you sure about this? I’m over 100 levels above him! This will never work out!” [Princess Lyra]
“Then let’s fight. If you win, I’ll be your servant. If I win, you’ll be my apprentice. Sound fair?” [Cipher]
“You’re on! See you in a hour in the arena!” [Princess Lyra]
She runs off, probably to get her equipment. I just smile.
“Open RCLS”
[Open]